


Possible Influences on Blake's 7

by HermitLibrary_Archivist



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Gen, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-28
Updated: 2008-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-19 09:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4740962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HermitLibrary_Archivist/pseuds/HermitLibrary_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>by ?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Possible Influences on Blake's 7

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Judith and Aralias, the archivists: This story was originally archived at [Hermit.org Blake's 7 Library](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Hermit_Library), which was closed due to maintenance costs and lack of time. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2015. We posted announcements about the move and emailed authors as we imported, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact us using the e-mail address on [Hermit.org Blake's 7 Library collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hermitlibrary/profile). 
> 
> This work has been backdated to 26th of May 2008, which is the last date the Hermit.org archive was updated, not the date this fic was written. In some cases, fics can be dated more precisely by searching for the zine they were originally published in on [Fanlore](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Main_Page).

## Brave New World

Blake's 7 seems to owe Aldous Huxley's novel some debt of gratitude, although the Federation is nowhere near as benign a government as the World State, it does 'homage' some of it's background:

 

  * Grading - People in society are graded according to their intelligence and ability, even the names given to the grades are the same: Alpha (most intelligent), Beta, Gamma, Delta (least intelligent). Unlike the World Government, the Federation doesn't go as far as actually impressing desired characteristics on embryos, but it would probably do so if it had the ability. It does treat each section differently, for instance it is clear that Alpha grades like Avon and Blake led a much more privileged lifestyle than the Beta Grade Gan, or the officially Delta Grade Vila (he claims he purchased his grading to remain inconspicuous).
  * Adrenalin and Soma. Soma is the the drug that almost the entire human race is addicted to in Brave New World. It is a specially engineered chemical which induces feelings of well being and happiness - at least for a short while. In Blake's 7 Adrenalin and Soma is a popular drink, (Vila, ever the connoseur, is seen drinking it or demanding it several times). Indeed in one episode where the crew are feeling particularly stressed out, Cally is refusing to dispense any more on the grounds of public safety, so it is quite possible that it has a similar effect to the literary Soma.



## 1984

This book is perhaps the most obviously connected to the Federation, with it's ever present thought police, official government surveliance of civil affairs and opressive methods ofgovernment. Even Blake's brainwashing (which took place some time before the series actually starts) is analogous to the sufferings of Winston at the hands of O'Brien. Both end up loving (or at least succumbing) to the forces which they previously opposed. Both governments also seem to emphasise the primacy of society over individualism, all projects, and ultimately all major enterprise are at least indirectly state owned, and it seems that (from our admittedly limited point of view) none of the federation characters including the crew have any private orpersonal interests outside of work.


End file.
